Just before the clock struck midnight on the East Coast, the San Diego Padres made another trade to improve their major league roster –– acquiring outfielder Tommy Pham from the Rays.
Bob Nightengale was the first to report that the teams reached an agreement, pending a physical, while Ken Rosenthal was first on the discussions between the two teams.
Pham, 31, has quietly been one of the game’s steadier hitters over the past few seasons, capped off by last season’s .273/.369/.450 with a 121 wRC+. Pham is also just two years removed from a six-win season according to FanGraphs’ measurement for wins above replacement.
San Diego will also be receiving a prospect, although that name hasn’t been revealed yet.
Tommy Pham is projected to earn $8.6 million in salary arbitration, per @mlbtraderumors
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 6, 2019
In return, the Rays get 27-year-old Hunter Renfroe. A man who has the tools to be one of the game’s most feared hitters, but his 33 home runs in 2019 weren’t enough to crack the 100 benchmark for league average in wRC+. However, with four years left of team control, at an estimated cost of just $3.4 million, it’s no wonder Tampa Bay was willing to maximize the value of an outfielder entering the final stages of his prime.
Also going to Tampa Bay is 20-year-old middle infield prospect Xavier Edwards (San Diego’s No. 5 prospect in their organization). The New York native was taken 38th overall in the 2018 MLB Draft and has since slashed .328/.395/.399 with a 129 wRC+ despite just one home run in 168 minor league games.
It’s evident that San Diego senses their window opening, and want to maximize on a chance to make a run in the National League as soon as 2020. Meanwhile, for the Rays, it’s just business as usual for the perennial 90-win club.
